


Nightmares/Hallucinations

by FearfulKitten



Series: 3ambird Batfam Bingo [3]
Category: Batman (Comics), Batman and the Signal (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: 3ambird Bingo, Batbrothers (DCU), Batbrothers (DCU) Bonding, Batfamily (DCU), Batfamily (DCU) Feels, Batfamily Dynamics (DCU), Duke Thomas Has Issues, Duke Thomas Needs a Hug, Gen, Gossip, Heart-to-Heart, Insomnia, Jason Todd Has Issues, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Jason Todd is Bad at Feelings, Jason Todd is a Good Big Brother, Nightmares, i guess? Id say they are gossiping lol, no beta we die like robins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:28:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27869942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FearfulKitten/pseuds/FearfulKitten
Summary: Duke found himself staring at the ceiling again. His heart was no longer racing, but he wouldn’t exactly say that he was calm either. This is the moment after the end of a race you lost, when all of the adrenaline is starting to wear off and the hopelessness sets in. That’s it. You’re out of the competition, buddy.Except that this isn’t a race, and Duke hasn’t just lost his spot for the finals. He had simply lost sleep.(requested a long time ago by an anon on tumblr)
Relationships: Duke Thomas & Jason Todd
Series: 3ambird Batfam Bingo [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1974109
Comments: 2
Kudos: 75





	Nightmares/Hallucinations

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I don't have much to say except that I hope the anon likes it bc I think I might have taken the request a little too freely, and I'm sorry. I just couldn't write anything other than this, for some reason I just scrapped everything bc it sounded horrible.  
> Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Duke found himself staring at the ceiling again. His heart was no longer racing, but he wouldn’t exactly say that he was calm either. This is the moment after the end of a race you lost, when all of the adrenaline is starting to wear off and the hopelessness sets in. That’s it. You’re out of the competition, buddy.

Except that this isn’t a race, and Duke hasn’t just lost his spot for the finals. He had simply lost sleep.

He gets up, silently opening the door so as not to wake anyone up. As he walks through the hallway, he raises an eyebrow when he finds a sleepy (and now paralized) Damian with a hand on Dick’s doorknob.

“Say a word, and I’ll cut off your tongue, Thomas.” He whispers threateningly.

Duke puts his hands up and pretends he’s zipping his mouth up. Damian nods and slides into the room.

Duke keeps walking heading out for the balcony in the living room of the second floor. It was always so bright, illuminated by the stars and the moon, and he didn’t even need to turn on any lights in clearer nights such as this one. It really was a pity that this sky was only visible in the outskirts of Gotham. The people here suffer so much, it would be only fair the sky would be able to bring them some comfort before bed, but just as everything else, it seemed to be a privilege for the richest.

“Hey,” Jason greets Duke from the edge of the balcony, startling the boy a little “What are you doing up, punk?” He smirks.

“Could ask you the same question.” Duke shoots back, leaning forward against the handrails.

“Yeah, but I asked you first.” Jason says, laughing. The smell of his minty gum hits Duke’s face hard, almost making him sick.

“Couldn’t sleep.” He shrugs.

“That’s a bit clear.” Jason laughs again, and more of the gum’s minty scent flows through the air. Duke takes a step back.

“God Jason, what’s with the dreadful gum?”

“Don’t like it?” He smiles, blowing in the teen’s direction. He laughs as Duke fans his breath away.

“No. It’s making me sick.” He frowns.

“Well, sorry, but I really can’t help it.” He raises his shoulders “I’m trying to quit smoking again. This is better than cigar smoke, I’m sure.”

“Actually, yes.” Duke raises his eyebrows “And I’m happy for you.”

“Yeah, well, I died once and it was dreadful enough.” Jason shrugs “If I’m gonna die again, I just hope it’s not from lung cancer or a heart attack. Besides, I don’t wanna risk the one good part of me if y’know what I’m saying.” He exaggeratedly winks and points down at his crotch.

Duke laughs, rubbing his face at the nonsense.

“But you didn’t answer my question, not really.” Jason tries again “What’s keeping you up?”

“What do you care?” Duke smiles, but he’s a bit confused. Jason frowns.

“You’re my brother.” He says “What do you mean ‘What do I care’, is Dick the only one allowed to be caring in this house now?”

“I guess not.” Duke raises an eyebrow “I just never took you for the type to want to chit chat at four in the morning.” Jason stares at him blankly, annoyed “Alright, alright!” He puts his hands up “I’ve been having some pretty bad nightmares since the last time with Scarecrow, that’s all.”

“Ah, I get it.” Jason nods, supporting his weight on the handrails as he looks up to the starry sky “I’m always having my fair share of nightmares too.” He pauses to chew at his gum for a while, considering his next words “I guess this is where I should say it gets better, right?”

Duke chuckles.

“Yeah, probably.”

“Well, I can’t.” Jason hunches over, eyes dropping to the pale green grass lit by the moonlight “I don’t think I need to lie about this to you, kid.”

“You’re not that much older than me.” Duke complains “But yeah, I don’t think you do.”

“It’s enough of a difference for me.” Jason smirks at the boy “And in all honesty, I’ve never really been as good as Dick with the comforting talks.” He directs his gaze to the horizon, and God knows where his eyes are focusing right now “The thing is, when we live the way we do, we all get a little fucked up, for good. If nightmares are what we have to deal with, then, hell, I think we have it easy.” Jason spits his gum out, somehow hitting the trash can under them perfectly. He sighs again “Tim has panic attacks sometimes. Cass never learned how to read and still has problems communicating. Dick seems positive and productive to an outsider, but he struggles with anxiety and God knows how many other undiagnosed mental illnesses. Damian clearly has PTSD, even if he refuses to talk about it.” Jason shrugged.

“Well, I can’t assume that him  _ dying _ could’ve been any easier.” Duke says. Jason huffs out a sad laugh.

“No. I mean, yeah, but also, no.” Duke frowns at the comment “He grew up in the League of Assassins. You weren’t here before, but you had to be blind not to see it.”

“Fair enough.” Duke says “But man, please don’t act as if you’re not just as fucked up, if not more.”

“I guess so.” He shrugs again “I just think I know how to hide it a bit better.” He pulls out the gum box, analyzing it “Or at least I used to.” Jason pulls out another gum and pops it in his mouth.

“You never really did.” Duek replies softly “You just went away so no one would see it.”

Jason bites the insides of his mouth for a moment.

“It’s not like anyone would want to see it, or even be able to help me.” Duke wants to say something, wants to yell at Jason and say that they love him very much, but he knows he’s right, to some extent. Everyone was a bit too fucked up to be able to pick him up properly “So you know... Roy and Kory... helped. As much as they could. Bizarro and Artemis too.” He chews a bit, eyes fixated on the trash can “I didn’t... completely give up on myself. I just... y’know, you can’t find everything at home.” He shakes his head for a moment “God, I’m supposed to be helping you... forget it, I’m not even making any sense.”

“No, you’re making perfect sense.” Duke says “And I’m not a child. You’re awake too, and I bet it must have something to do with your own nightmares.” He smiles softly “We can help each other.”

“Yeah, sure.” Jason looks at him again, smiling.

There’s a weird silence for a moment. Neither of them want to talk about it, and both of them know it.

“I’m... I’m really glad you’re here.” Jason starts, eyes fixated on the horizon again “I know I don’t always show it but I really am happy to call you my brother. It’s... a refreshing change of pace from all of those idiots.” He laughs, mostly to try and dissipate the feeling that he gets whenever he’s baring his heart. Duke laughs with him.

“Thank you.” He says “I’m happy to call you brother too.”

“Okay, come here.” Jason smiles, pulling Duke into what starts out as an awkward and overtly heterossexual hug.

But then both of them realize that they are alone. There’s no one there to judge. And Duke leans into his brother, pressing his chin on Jason’s shoulder as the older man allows himself to pull him closer, resting his cheek on the top of Duke’s head.

“I love you, man.” Jason says “And life is too short for me not to say it.”

“I love you too.” Duke replies “And yes, but please stretch it out for as long as you can. It’d be painful to live on a planet that doesn’t have Jason Todd and his trademark awful minty breath on my face.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hi again! I hope you liked this, and if you did, consider following me on tumblr? @fearfulkittenwrites or @fearful-kitten01. Come say hi! I like meeting new people.  
> Thank you so much for reading.  
> I love you all, stay safe and healthy out there <3


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